I know I promised not to blog but my goodness! I am sorry but I think that the Mujahid is very wrong to say that CAIR should not have made an issue out of the jafi car dealer who was trying to sell cars by making fun of Islam and stereotyping normal muslims as terrorists. Look yes everyone has free speech, including CAIR so why should CAIR be the one to be silenced? Anyone is free to be jafi but then any muslim is also free to call out the jafi and say "you are an islamophobe, you are offensive" and note that the car dealer themselves made the decision not to run the ad so it is not like CAIR forced them to do it. If CAIR does not stand up for us as a community then who will? Why should we muslims not object when others try to disrespect us and perpetuate the whole thing about how we are intolerant and cannot assimilate and repeat worst things about us seen on TV.

I always hear the supporters of the war say that media does not portray good news only bad because that is what sells for war and that actually war in Iraq is going fine. Well I am not an Iraqi so I do not know if war is really fine for them but same argument is for muslims. media shows us the same way all the time. A few ignorant rioters are suddenly all of Islam after cartoons or the Pope. I see brother Rezwan called this "media feeds muslim trolls" (via Carnival of Brass). So we have to fight this perception and this is why muslims in America feel more alienated even though we are more assimilated than in UK where my cousins live. The car dealer maybe was just trying to be funny; well, if your humor comes at someone else's expense then that is not funny, it is hurtful and rude. Isn't civilization and civilized behavior supposed to be civil and not rude?

I think that the Mujahid is mistaken to write posts such as he wrote because it feels like he is trying to portray himself as "moderate" to the jafis like the Baron who wrote such disgusting things about the Prophet. I do not understand why the Mujahid continues to curry favor with these people. The Qur'an says that they will never be satisfied until we muslims abandon Islam so there is no point in trying to accomodate them.

I really admire the Zionist because she would never allow this kind of insult to her faith. The Zionist has declared her blog to be an Israel-bashing free zone (and by Israel she also means Judaism) because she has had enough. Look at the Christians, they are so lax about the importance of their faith, yes freedom of speech is important but it is useless if only one side speaks! Defend freedom of speech by speaking out and defending your own belief and fight for your own dignity else others will take it away from you. Jews know that you must cut off stereotype and insult immediately and address it otherwise it will feed into itself and build up and then you have allowed it to grow to a point where it wont be as easy to fight against. We have to be vigilant and then we can make sure that Islam does not decay but thrives in our hearts and also earns respect from our neighbors.

Why would non-muslims respect Islam if we ourselves do not? We must not allow insult to go un answered. No I dont mean go and riot I mean take advantage of same freedom of speech that jafis can (and should) be allowed to. That is what CAIR does for us and it is why I support them because they are on my side. Baron insulting poet and Jafi and and car dealers in Ohio who insult Islam are not.

it is not about Islam decaying. of course islam will never decay, it is infinite and forever. but it is about the dignity of a muslim. muslims have a sense of humor plenty so we do not need to be insulted on purpose just for insults sake i do not see why you think that any mockery (from outsiders) should be encouraged, that is just rude not civilized I do not go around and insult atheists or christians like that.

Islam is islam and insults or humor are irrelevant but we are human beings and we have pride just like everyone else and civilized society is built on respect not tearing everyone down.

the jewish people know this well look what happenned to them (not their faith - the PEOPLE) when they did not fight back and stand up to hatred. look at them today now that they have said "never again" they are very wise.

Would you say that jewish people need to be mocked by outsiders? should we make fun of jews with light mockery? i do not think you would say that and you would not nneither would I support a commercial with the dealer making stereotype about jews and greeed or money or thing like that just to sell cars.

salaams, sakina.i think the jewish people welcome mockery.but they mock themselves.and you are right, a car dealer using jewish greed would not be funnie. But Ali was funnie when he offered everyone a sword for fatwa friday.maybe the difference is that muslims need to mock themselves.;)

what do think about popularizing literature and music? i have just got the second volume of the Arabian Nights translations by Husain Haddawy. i really love it.